


love lasts so long

by softccore



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Childhood Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers, Requited Love, Running Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26324770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softccore/pseuds/softccore
Summary: Steve met Tony when they they were both seven.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 67





	love lasts so long

Steve met Tony when they they were both seven. He was at the small forest every kid went to after school, drawing on his block and enjoying his ice cream when an older kid approached him, splashed water all over his drawing and kicked his ice cream to the ground. The kid walked away laughing, and Steve just tore the wet page off his block and started anew. He had gotten used to this, people laughing at him, poking at him for being the poor kid in town.

Moments later he caught a dark haired boy walking towards him with the corner of his eye. _Here we go again_. He thought and tried to prepare himself for yet another entitled kid making his day miserable. When the boy got close enough he spread his hand towards Steve. He then realized the boy was holding an ice cream cone.

“Here. You can have mine. I hate strawberry anyway.”

And so that was the beginning of everything. The dark haired boy, Tony, as he later learned, became Steve’s best friend and he became Tony’s.

As the years passed, they both realized they might not love each other only as friends do. Though neither of them ever admitted it, they both knew, noticed the looks too lingering to be friendly, the sweet words they kept only for each other. The two boys never dated other people either, and if they did, it was never serious, as if they had made an unspoken agreement that they only belonged to one another.

 _Someday_ , Steve thought, he’d tell him. _Maybe not today, but someday_. And Tony would say it back and then they’d make up for all the lost time.

Sadly, the lingering looks wasn’t the only thing that Steve noticed as they grew older. He also noticed the red marks on Tony’s body, the invitations to his place slowly getting fewer and fewer, the fact that Tony was sleeping over more and more at Steve’s house.

“My dad. You know how he gets.”

Was the only thing Tony would say and they’d never talk about it for the rest of the night. Instead they’d talk about future dreams, too ridiculous to ever come true but optimistic enough to make Tony smile at the thought of them. Steve knew from the first he’d do anything for Tony, even ignore things one shouldn’t ignore.

So when he found the brunette on his door at five in the morning, blood and bruises on his beautiful face, barely holding himself together, he added killing Howard Stark to the things he would do for him.

“Turns out the guy packs a punch.” Tony tried for a laugh as he unintentionally collapsed in Steve’s arms. Trying to fool him never worked, the boy knew Tony like the back of his hand.

“ _God_ , Tony.”

Steve had him sit on his sofa. The old thing chose this particular moment to squeak like never before, adding even more of a dramatic effect in an already heavy silence. He understood why Tony wasn’t feeling like talking, so he took this as an opportunity to help him feel safe, protected. Steve grabbed his first aid box and he starting patching up the wounds as best as he could. The bruises he couldn’t do much about, so he decided he’d leave them alone to heal. While finishing up, he found he was disappointed to no longer have an excuse to touch Tony’s face, but that was a conversation for another day.

“I’m going to get you some clean clothes. Will you be okay?”

“Yes, Steve, I’m not made of glass.”

 _You’re the strongest person I know_. Steve kept himself from replying, and opted for nodding instead.

After a while they found themselves sitting on Steve’s bed, trying to make light conversation, but falling short of things to say. Tony was still pretty shaken, that Steve could tell. Still, that was familiar ground, at least, them together in a summer night, and Tony could use some familiarity, Steve thought.

“Hey. Thanks, for, you know. Tonight.” And that even took a lot of willpower from Tony to say, because thanking him meant admitting he had needed the help in the first place.

“You know this is your home too, Tony.”

Steve realized he should say what he thinks more often because that made Tony smile. It was a half one, but still a smile, so he counted it as a win.

“ _God_ , I hate this town so much. On a wish-I-could-burn-it-to-the-ground level of hate. Or leave. Honestly, either would do.”

 _Let’s do it_. Steve thought before he was able to stop his own mind. No, that would be insane. But then again, what if they did? _No, Steve, you’re thinking like a child._ He tried to scold himself but he only sounded more childish in his own head.

“-and you’re not even listening to me.”

“Let’s run away.” And well, he might as well go through with it, now that he said it.

Tony snorted. “Yeah, right. Got any other great ideas, winghead?”

“I’m being serious, Tony.”

And to that Tony had nothing to say but to gape. Seemingly taken aback, “Wait, what?” was all he offered.

Steve had to admit the more he entertained the idea, the more he liked it. Him and Tony, away from the monsters and ghosts of their town, starting over somewhere else. That place had never been welcoming to either of them. _You’re being naïve_ , a small part of his brain thought, but even so, that’s what love was about. When he was with Tony he felt like he was seven all over again. He had to protect him at all costs, and sending him back to his house was the opposite of that.

“There’s nothing for us here. My ma’s gone and you find it hard to even share a roof with your dad.”

“St-“

“You’re a genius, Tony.” No, he wouldn’t back down from this. He knew Tony inside and out and he could bet, in spite of the fear, he wanted this too. “And this town has nothing to offer you, or me, with my art. We can start a life, somewhere else, somewhere _better_. Together.”

The conviction in Steve’s voice was clear and Tony seemed to have heard it too, because Steve could see him thinking about it, evaluating it in his head like one of his blueprints or his machines. Like it was _possible_.

“You know Howard would find me, Steve. And then the bastard would kill me himself.”

“I'll never let him touch you again.”

Steve grabbed his hand, in an innocent gesture that showed all the things he hasn’t been able to say yet. _I’m here. I’m yours. I’ll keep you safe._ And in the fleeting second it took Steve to squeeze Tony’s hand, Tony made up his mind, and like he heard Steve’s thoughts he returned the squeeze, too afraid to say the words out loud at first.

“Well. Pack your things, Rogers.”

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired from "seven" by taylor swift. if you got this before reading the notes i love you forever. thank you for reading this, i hope you have a wonderful day<3  
> find me on instagram @sapphirq


End file.
